Tata Elxsi, Qualcomm partner to enhance SDV development process

Technology services provider Tata Elxsi has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to advance the development of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). This partnership aims to leverage Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions and Tata Elxsi's expertise to develop cloud-native application development.

The collaboration will focus on creating virtual electronic control unit (ECU) platforms using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon virtual system-on-chips (VSoCs). These platforms will cater to automakers and Tier-1 suppliers across passenger, commercial, and off-highway vehicle segments. By reducing reliance on physical hardware, the initiative seeks to streamline and speed up the SDV development process, enabling faster software development and validation.

Speaking on the collaboration, Shaju S, Vice President and Head of the Transportation Business Unit at Tata Elxsi, emphasised the transformative potential of the partnership. He noted that integrating the AVENIR suite with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions offers automakers a scalable pathway to embrace SDV technologies. “This collaboration combines software expertise, virtualised models, and ready-to-use SDV software to support the development of next-generation mobility solutions,” Shaju said.

Laxmi Rayapudi, Vice President of Automotive Software Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, said that using Snapdragon virtual SoCs alongside Tata Elxsi’s AVENIR suite enables early-stage software development that is cost-effective and efficient, reducing the time-to-market for new applications. Rayapudi also pointed out the importance of continuous software updates, stating that this approach ensures vehicles remain up-to-date with new features, enhancing the overall consumer experience throughout a vehicle's lifecycle.

In September last year, Tata Elxsi announced the integration of the Reference Design Kit-Broadband (RDK-B) software stack with Qualcomm’s 5G Fixed Wireless (FW) Gen 3 platform. This collaboration aims to enable telecom operators to deliver high-speed, reliable, and scalable fixed broadband solutions, according to the company’s regulatory filing.

The integration of the RDK-B middleware brings advanced features such as Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for seamless and high-speed wireless experiences, detailed packet statistics for efficient network management, and robust security options to ensure data protection. These enhancements make the platform highly adaptable, suitable for deployment in both indoor and outdoor environments, catering to a wide range of broadband applications.